Background: Awareness of burnout has led residency programs to seek interventions to promote well-being, resiliency, camaraderie and social network development. Limited evidence exists on the efficacy of specific interventions. This study evaluated the efficacy of an emergency medicine residency program’s semi-annual retreat using serial administration of the Maslach burnout index and resident well-being survey.Methods: Surveys were administered to all emergency medicine residents (n=25) in July 2018 and before and after fall 2018 and winter 2019 retreats. Retreats included a meal, team building, and social networking opportunities (bowling, softball, snow tubing, and sledding). Comparisons of responses between baseline, pre-retreat, and post-retreat were evaluated using two-sample t, Wilcoxon rank sum, and Fisher exact tests. Results: Sixteen emergency medicine residents (64%) responded at baseline. Response rates on subsequent surveys ranged from 14 (56%) to 21 (84%). Nineteen percent of residents exhibited burnout at baseline. This peaked at 36% pre-winter retreat. Burnout decreased after each retreat (fall: 29% to 6%, winter: 36% to 13%). Mean Maslach burnout index subscores for emotional exhaustion (13 to 9) and depersonalization (7 to 5) decreased from baseline to post-fall retreat, but neither changed significantly over the entire study period (emotional exhaustion: 13 to 12, depersonalization: 7 to 6). Resident well-being survey pre- and post-retreat responses were similar on all items.Conclusion: Meaningful, but not statistically significant differences were detected on the Maslach burnout index and resident well-being survey in association with a retreat. Mean emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and burnout decreased after retreats. Larger studies would provide further insight into the significance of these trends.

Background Awareness of burnout has led residency programs to seek interventions to promote well-being, resiliency, camaraderie and social network development. Limited evidence exists on the efficacy of specific interventions. This study evaluated the efficacy of an emergency medicine residency program’s semi-annual retreat using serial administration of the Maslach burnout index and resident well-being survey. Methods Surveys were administered to all emergency medicine residents (n = 25) in July 2018 and before and after fall 2018 and winter 2019 retreats. Retreats included a meal, team building, and social networking opportunities (bowling, softball, snow tubing, and sledding). Comparisons of responses between baseline, pre-retreat, and post-retreat were evaluated using two-sample t, Wilcoxon rank sum, and Fisher exact tests. Results Sixteen emergency medicine residents (64%) responded at baseline. Response rates on subsequent surveys ranged from 14 (56%) to 21 (84%). Nineteen percent of residents exhibited burnout at baseline. This peaked at 36% pre-winter retreat. Burnout decreased after each retreat (fall: 29–6%, winter: 36–13%). Mean Maslach burnout index subscores for emotional exhaustion (13 to 9) and depersonalization (7 to 5) decreased from baseline to post-fall retreat, but neither changed significantly over the entire study period (emotional exhaustion: 13 to 12, depersonalization: 7 to 6). Resident well-being survey pre- and post-retreat responses were similar on all items. Conclusion Meaningful, but not statistically significant differences were detected on the Maslach burnout index and resident well-being survey in association with a retreat. Mean emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and burnout decreased after retreats. Larger studies would provide further insight into the significance of these trends.